Singers Are Sensation In Spa Show

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, September 13, 1971

Mary Travers and John Denver are the reason selective specials should be continued at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

Despite a rainy night, they drew 3,700 last night and were absolutely sensational. Both are basically message singers and real stage pros, yet their styles are quite different.

Denver offers a totally relaxed, friendly, informal show, singing his famous songs, playing guitar, smiling and ingratiating grin that could charm a snake and telling some perfectly clean but very humorous stories.

Mary Travers is rarely relaxed. Instead she is a totally intense singer, often verging on the overly dramatic but completely wrapped up in everything she sings and says. Despite the difference in styles, the two complement each other perfectly and combined to offer one of the best specials I have ever seen at SPAC.

About the one complaint I have with Miss Travers is one I’ve voiced in the three years she appeared at SPAC with Peter, Paul and Mary. She slouches terribly whenever she stands up to sing. Now that she is alone, she seems to be even more susceptible to this, a somewhat typical posture for very tall, thin woman, but it is most distracting.

She may be tall but she is attractive, extremely talented and there seems no reason for this. It detracts from her performance. Because of this, she was at her best last night when she sat on a stool or when she sat right on the floor to sing “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child.”

Denver won sustained applause with his hits, “Take Me Home, Country Road,” “Going To Carolina” and a delightful bit of spoof, “Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio.”

He was backed by two musicians and, judging from the response of the audience, could have sung and chatted all night.

Miss Travers, in a pale pink peasant gown, sang a dozen songs, including “Times Are Changing,” “Indian Sunset” and
“Follow Me.” She did her comedy song about being eaten by a boa constrictor, always a SPAC favorite.

Then the audience got the best treat of all, two songs by Miss Travers and Denver, “Leaving On a Jet Plane” and “Blowing In the Wind,” and the standing ovation and shouts of “more, more” lasted about 10 minutes.

SPAC is dark until Saturday at 7 p.m. when John Sebastian will appear. Closing night is Sunday at 7 with Miles Davis to bring the sixth season to an end.